Shepherd Neame Village Pub Offers Free Cab Service for Regulars While Raising Funds for Charity
Britain's Oldest Brewery
(Text and Images, copyright Shepherd Neame, reproduced with kind permission)
A Shepherd Neame country pub has acquired its very own taxi to take customers home after they have enjoyed a meal and drinks.
But licensees at The Flying Horse in Smarden are not profiting from the regular lifts to and from the pub – instead, all payments go to charity.
Licensee Paul Hartfield, who took over running the pub in Cage Lane from his daughter Natasha recently, decided to buy the black cab out of his own pocket.
He now personally drives guests to and from the pub, helping them to get home safely after an evening out.
Paul said: “I bought it especially for the pub. I used to own a Black Cab Garage, so I know cabs.
“This pub has done a lot for charity, and we have some great customers in the village. There are a lot of lovely people who come here.
“So, when they ring up and book a table, I ask them if they want a lift home. And if they say yes, they make a donation to charity.”
Paul has also been known to pick customers up from their homes, to make their evening even easier, and since starting the service in November, has already helped around 100 customers get home safe and sound.
In December alone, the service raised £700 for the MND Association. The cab also took part in the village Tractor Run just before Christmas, decked out in Christmas lights, alongside dozens of tractors, which raised almost £7000 for MND.
The service will continue raising funds for MND for six months, before switching to a new chosen charity.
The Flying Horse, which regularly supports both local and national causes, raised tens of thousands of pounds last year for charities supporting farmers’ mental health along with a range of other charities.
The taxi service is available to customers living within a three-mile radius of the pub.
To find out more about The Flying Horse visit www.flyinghorsesmarden.co.uk or call 01233 770432.
